1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to methods and systems that compensate for polarization mode dispersion.
2. Description of Related Art
As data rates transmitted over optical fibers increase, the effects of polarization mode dispersion (PMD) become increasingly important. Polarization mode dispersion is a form of signal distortion and can be caused by subtle physical defects in an optical fiber giving rise to birefringence. A birefringent optical fiber conducting a modulated optical signal can temporally disperse the resulting optical frequencies of the optical signal. Furthermore, as environmental variables such as temperature fluctuate over time, the birefringent character of the optical fiber can change, thus changing the dispersion profile of the optical signal. Accordingly, there is a need for new technology to provide better PMD compensation.